1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a novel method of reducing open spaces which are found in woven fabrics whose fabric density is low relative to the diameter of yarns used, and more particularly to a novel method of reducing open spaces in woven fabrics used as industrial materials, such as coated cloth and cloth for fiber-reinforced plastics.
2. Description of the Related Art:
Among various types of fabrics used as industrial materials, many of those fabrics that are used as sheets have a relatively coarse density and employ a mesh structure. If such fabrics are provided with a coating such as a rubber coating, there are cases where irregularities occur on their surfaces, thereby deteriorating their product value. In addition, in the cloth for fiber-reinforced plastics (hereafter abbreviated as FRP), fibers and resin exist separately, resulting in the deterioration of the physical properties of FRP.
The mesh structure (openings in the meshes) of such cloth sometimes causes a problem, but there has been no effective means for eliminating open spaces in woven fabrics that are found in the structure of such cloth. Hence, a measure has conventionally been taken to reduce open spaces in woven fabrics by increasing the density of yarns constituting the cloth.
However, the method of reducing open spaces in woven fabrics by such means is not economically desirable, and there has been demand for reducing open spaces in woven fabrics without changing the density of the fabrics. In particular, yarns which constitute fabrics used for FRP are highly resilient and brittle. If a reducing method using a press, which is still unsatisfactory in reducing open spaces in woven fabrics, is employed, the fibers are susceptible to breakage. Hence, the present situation is such that there is no appropriate method available.